Different strokes: Can managing behavioral types increase post-release success?☆
Re-introduction programs for endangered animals operate under the hope that protected habitats can sustain viable populations that rely little on humans. The goal of these programs is to supply animals with the resources and skills they need to succeed in the modern wild. However, predicting the set of skills necessary to respond to unpredictable selection […]
Feeding live prey to zoo animals: response of zoo visitors in Switzerland
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20261.abs In summer 2007, with the help of a written questionnaire, the attitudes of more than 400 visitors to the zoological garden of Zurich, Switzerland, toward the idea of feeding live insects to lizards, live fish to otters, and live rabbits to tigers were investigated. The majority of Swiss zoo visitors agreed with the […]
Annual rhythm of body weight in Prezwalski horses
The live-weight of female Przewalski horses in a semi-natural reserve has been recorded continuously over 6 years by means of an automatic weighing machine and automatic identification. Data were tested for cyclic as well as for linear trend effects and a mathematical model was developed. A clear annual rhythm of live-weight with the maximum in […]
The survival of captive-born animals in restoration programmes – Case study of the endangered European mink Mustela lutreola
As part of a conservation initiative, captive-bred individuals of the endangeredEuropeanminkMustelalutreola were released to a Baltic island ‘sanctuary’, Hiiumaa Island (Estonia), and their survival was monitored over eight years. Altogether, 54 released mink were equipped with radio-collars between 2000 and 2003 and their survival and causes of death were studied as a function of sex, […]